An Old Acquaintance
by FaithinBones
Summary: This story is a Bonesology challenge fanfic: What would happen if Booth and Brennan ran into one of Brennan's old boyfriends? (Not Stires, Hacker or Sully). Takes place between season 6 and 7


Bonesology fanfic prompt: What would happen if Booth and Brennan ran into one of Brennan's old boyfriends (Not Stires, Hacker or Sully)

I really don't own Bones.

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She spotted him as they entered the room. It had been years since Brennan had actually seen Robert Morgan and truthfully she had thought she never would again. He had been a friend when she needed one and she had been at a very low point in her young adult life. It had been during her junior year at University and she had begun to question her future in anthropology. Her grades were nothing less than perfect, but she was having difficulty with one of her professors. The man was constantly flirting with her and had even suggested that she go to bed with him. The implication was that if she didn't have sex with him her grades would suffer, but she wasn't about to give in to blackmail.

She knew she was beautiful and desirable, but she had had only one physical relationship by that time and that had been with Professor Michael Stires. He was away on a dig and he would be gone for a year. Professor Miller had felt he was the next in line to receive her favors and he was very insistent.

The problem came to a head when Miller had asked Brennan to wait as the class ended and her classmates had left. Once they were alone he had pulled her into his arms and pressed one hand against her breast. His attempt to thrust his tongue into her mouth infuriated Brennan. Stronger than she looked, she managed to pull away and slapped him as hard as she could drawing blood from his mouth. Her professor was livid and called her a tease and a whore which confused Brennan. She knew she had done nothing to garner such attention, but he was calling her despicable names which she felt she didn't deserve.

As she struggled to find the right words to respond, her classmate Robert had stepped into the room and pulled Brennan further away from their professor. "Professor Miller, your actions are reprehensible and they will be brought to the attention of Dean Howard. Only a classless troll would behave in such a manner and I Sir, will not tolerate it. Temperance is here for an education, not to be your concubine."

"She has been teasing me since the start of the semester." Miller was furious that there was a witness to his behavior and he had every intention of making sure the boy stayed out of it. "Just a few minutes ago, she waited for the class to leave and then touched me inappropriately. I thought that meant she wanted my attention, but instead the minute I kissed her she slapped me. I will have her expelled."

Robert laughed. "You are so full of shit . . . I held back and witnessed your attack. You Sir are caught out and you will not wriggle from the trap you created for yourself." Placing his hand on the small of Brennan's back, Robert guided her to the door. "Temperance, we shall go to Dean Howard's office immediately. You have been assaulted and you need to report it."

As they left the room, Brennan allowed Robert to continue to guide her as she tried to make up her mind if it was worth it or not. "I'm not sure it will do any good. Professor Miller is a friend of the Dean and I'm sure he won't take my word that the Professor's attentions were not welcome . . . I'm here on a scholarship and I think my college career may be at an end."

"Nonsense." Robert continued to walk with Brennan out of the building and towards the Dean's office. "Miller was being abusive and I'm sure he's done this before. I've heard rumors and that is why I stayed to make sure you were safe . . . I've noticed over the last few weeks the looks he's been giving you and frankly they're rather creepy. Something told me to hang back today and I stood in the hallway watching Miller. When he grabbed you and you slapped him, I knew he had walked over a line that he shouldn't have. I will not tolerate such brutish behavior from anyone. Men like that should be castrated . . . Well, that's what my father always says and that might be a little overboard. He really detests such criminal behavior and will not tolerate anything less than the manners of a gentleman from any man. Of course, he doesn't like coarse behavior in women either. He is an equal opportunity moralist . . . All the men in my family are like that. Our mothers and grandmothers would kill their men if we behaved any differently." Robert laughed as they approached the Dean's office. "My father had been called a prude and a goody-two shoes many times, but he wears that as a badge of honor."

"What is a goody two-shoes?" Brennan found Robert to be fascinating. She had never had anyone talk to her like he was talking to her. She had poor social skills and found it difficult to make friends. Most people found her bluntness to be off putting if not downright insulting. Most of her male classmates either ignored her or tried to get her to go to bed with them. When she refused their advances that usually ended their interest in her. She wasn't sure what to make of Robert.

Amused, Robert chuckled. "A goody two-shoes is an excessively virtuous person. They always do everything right and always follow the rules." He laughed once more. "Little do people know that my father is not the prude they think he is. He just has strong beliefs in how people should be treated and he will not tolerate boorish behavior and neither will I." They had now arrived at the Dean's office. Opening the door, Robert ushered Brennan into the office. "Alice, how are you today? Is there a chance we can see the Dean? We won't take up too much of his time, but it is rather important."

Alice stood up, knocked on the door to the right and entered the room. She returned shortly and motioned for the pair to enter the office. "He's on the phone, but he said he will speak to you as soon as his call has ended."

As they entered the room, Brennan noticed Dean Howard had ended his call and was placing his phone down. Not sure what was about to happen, she assumed she was about to lose her position at the University and she wasn't sure what she would do when that happened. She didn't have the faith that Robert had in the Dean. Life had been hard and very unfair so far towards her and she didn't expect anything better now.

Dean Howard smiled at the couple and pointed at the chairs in front of his desk. "Robert, do sit down . . . and Temperance . . . I hope that is your name. I am sorry. We have so many students and I have never met you, have I?"

"No we haven't met." Brennan sat down and hugged her book satchel against her chest. "Yes my name is Temperance Brennan."

Happy that he had got her name right, the Dean turned his attention towards Robert. "I know why you are here. I just got off the phone with Professor Miller . . . would you care to give me your side, Temperance." Howard gave Brennan his full attention. Keeping his face neutral, he nodded his head trying to encourage her to speak.

Confident that this was just a show and that she was about to be expelled, Brennan lifted her chin and explained the situation. "Professor Miller has been pursuing me since the semester began. I have told him numerous times I am not interested in a sexual relationship with him, but he has ignored me. After class today, he asked me to stay to speak to me. Once I was alone he assaulted me. He grabbed me, mashed his hand against my right breast and tried to force his tongue into my mouth. I fended him off and slapped him."

Her explanation was spoken with little emotion which made the Dean wonder why. He started to worry that the young woman sitting before him was either in a state of shock or she had gone through this before. "Thank you Temperance . . . Robert do you have anything to say about this."

"Yes, I do." Robert sat forward and stared at the dean with a look of sadness on his face. "I witnessed the attack. I have heard rumors around the campus that Professor Miller had made advances on other young ladies and I was worried for Temperance's safety."

"I can take care of myself." Her words drew the attention of both men and Brennan realized that it might have been wiser to remain silent. In the past, she had put up with a lot of abuse in her foster homes and she knew that words were meaningless when no one cared what you said. She could take care of herself and she did, but it probably would cost her career.

Robert smiled at Temperance and gave her a wink. "You certainly can. You should have seen her Uncle . . . um, Dean. When Miller attacked her she broke free and slapped him so hard, I'm sure his mother felt it."

"Uncle?" Brennan stared at Robert. "Uncle?"

Not willing to trade on relationships, Robert shrugged his shoulders.

Dean Howard shook his head and stared fondly at his nephew. "Professor Miller is actually on probation due to an incident last semester. Apparently he is unable to keep it in his pants."

"I don't know what that means." Brennan found it frustrating that people didn't use proper English and insisted on using colloquialisms.

Charmed with Brennan's look of confusion, Robert leaned towards her and used a stage whisper. "It is a polite way of saying that the man can't keep his penis in his pants and out of harm's way."

The explanation seemed dubious, but Brennan nodded her head. "I see."

Since Professor Miller had been caught once more forcing his attentions upon a student, Dean Howard knew that Miller was on his way out of the door especially since his nephew had been a witness and his father happened to be the head of the Alumi Association. It was a fact that politics ruled universities and Miller was hated by Robert Morgan Sr. "Well Temperance, I can assure you that Professor Miller will no longer be a problem for you and any other student on campus. I am truly sorry that he accosted you and I assure you that will not happen again."

"You mean I'm not expelled?" Brennan was stunned. She couldn't believe that she had been believed and that her scholarship was safe.

"Of course not." Once more Dean Howard was disturbed with the young ladies reaction. Now more than ever, he felt she had been assaulted before and clearly had not been believed. "Temperance, universities do have problems with abusers just like other segments of society. Some universities are more concerned about protecting their reputation instead of their students, but we are a school dedicated to Science. The truth must come first and believe me, your safety is important to us. We are after all in the 20th century and it is up to us to prepare our students for a career in science. We cannot tolerate boorish behavior or at least I can't. It is my duty to stamp out such behavior and to fight for justice."

She was so proud to belong to such a fine institution and she hoped someday to fight for justice too. It was a worthy goal and one she felt she was capable of.

Over the next few weeks, she and Robert had met for dinner when their schedules allowed and both had become great friends. Brennan found her friend to be someone she could confide in and he felt the same way and eventually they started a more intimate relationship. That relationship lasted until they both graduated and they both moved on into new careers. Brennan had felt a little less lonely with Robert in her life and she had been sad when they had parted. She wrote to him a few times a year and he replied when he could. They were both very busy people and in all the years after they graduated they had never managed to meet again, but now here he was standing across the room staring at her.

Booth was aware that Brennan was staring at a man he had never seen before and he wondered who the man was. The man was at least six feet tall, had brick red hair and bright blue eyes. Even though Booth hated to admit it, the man was handsome and well built. A spark of jealously crept in and Booth moved closer to his girlfriend. The relationship he had with her was new and sometimes he worried that Brennan would eventually break up with him.

His nearness, reminded Brennan that she wasn't alone and she turned to smile at her lover. "I see an old friend, Booth. Do you remember me telling you about Robert Morgan?"

Surprised, Booth nodded his head. "Yeah, I remember. He was your boyfriend your junior and senior year in college."

"Yes that's right." Brennan grabbed Booth's hand and pulled him towards Robert. "Our careers have been so busy I haven't seen him since I graduated. I know that's strange, but . . . anyway, I would like to talk to him."

Robert noticed that his former girlfriend was coming towards him with a handsome man in tow. Her hand was pulling him with her and he was certain that Temperance was with the man in an intimate relationship. He hoped that the man wouldn't be too jealous of old relationships. Robert knew he was a very handsome man and sometimes it could be problem with jealous and wary boyfriends and husbands of colleagues and friends. "Temperance, it is so good to see you again." Carefully, he leaned over and pecked her on the cheek keeping her boyfriend in sight. If the man was going to punch him he wanted to be prepared.

Much to his surprise, Booth reached out grabbed his arm and then clasped his hand. "Hey, Bones . . . Temperance has told me all about you and how you were such a good friend to her in college. Thanks man. She said you made her life a little bit less lonely and I want to thank you for that."

Surprised, Robert looked at Booth and then at Brennan. "Um, thank you . . . Temperance and I were great friends. She helped me pass a rather grueling anatomy class that I was sure I would fail. It involved my first autopsy and I was rather . . . intimidated by the whole thing. I'm a bones man and flesh is not something I care to deal with."

"I don't really care for flesh either." Brennan preferred bones since they spoke to her. Flesh was much more confusing. "I don't think you would have failed. You are quite intelligent and I knew you just needed to study harder."

Pleased with her praise, Robert smiled. "Well, anyway, I'm glad to finally meet up with you again. When I heard you were getting an award, I knew I'd have to come. I just got back from Japan as you well know and I told my wife that we had to come." Robert placed his arm around the woman standing next to him. "Temperance this is Lynn. I know I've talked about her more that you probably could bear to here, but her she is in the flesh."

Lynn held out her hand and shook Brennan's hand then Booth's hand. "I am so pleased to finally meet you, Temperance . . . is this a friend of yours?" Robert hadn't mentioned that his friend was in a relationship, but Robert said that Temperance had a tendency to skip those little details when they talked on the phone or sent emails to each other.

Booth placed his hand on his partner's lower back and smiled. "I'm Seeley Booth."

"Booth and I are in a monogamous relationship." Brennan was happy and she wanted her friend to know that Booth and she were a couple. "I'm going to bear his progeny in six months."

Robert was so pleased and excited for his friend that he stepped forward and hugged her. "I am so happy for you, Temperance. I told you that you would have a family some day and I know you didn't believe me, but . . . well, I am so happy for you. I am so very happy for you."

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"Robert seemed like a nice guy. I'm glad he was your friend in college." When Brennan had told him about her college days and how lonely she had been, Booth had felt that her classmates were awful just like her high school classmates had been. That she had had one person on her side, to befriend her when she needed it made Booth relent a little, but he felt that too many people in his partner's life had mistreated her and he found that unforgivable. "His wife seems nice too."

Brennan finished brushing her damp hair and turned to face Booth who was already in bed. "He was a great friend to me as you know. Michael was disappointed that I didn't want to renew our relationship when he came back my senior year, but Robert and I were in a relationship by then and it wouldn't have been fair to Robert."

"No it wouldn't have." Booth hated Stires and he didn't want to talk about him. "Well, Robert is the past now and we're together." He studied her as she walked towards him. He couldn't believe he had been lucky enough to find someone that actually loved him and wanted to be with him. His past affairs had been disasters, but he had every intention of making this relationship work. He loved Brennan so much.

As she moved onto the bed, Brennan felt that Booth was right and she wanted to show him. She loved her partner very much and they were going to be co-parents in a few short months. He loved her and that amazed her. She had never believed in love until she met Booth and now she knew that love was real. Booth's love was real and she trusted him when he told her he would never leave her. Robert's friendship had been wonderful, but he was not Booth. Straddling her lover, Brennan leaned over and kissed him. "You are my future Booth. I don't live in the past."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


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